Guardiola, A Great Generation, And Dogs Called John And Charles

The Football Interview is simply a caller bid successful which nan biggest names successful athletics and intermezo subordinate big Kelly Somers for bold and in-depth conversations astir nan nation's favourite sport.

We'll research mindset and motivation, and talk astir defining moments, profession highs and individual reflections. The Football Interview brings you nan personification down nan player.

Interviews will driblet connected Saturdays crossed BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds and nan BBC Sport website. This week's question and reply will beryllium broadcast connected BBC One from 23:20 GMT connected Saturday, 13 December (00:05 connected Sunday, 14 December successful Scotland).

No-one has played much games nether Pep Guardiola than Bernardo Silva.

Silva has been picked much than 400 times by Manchester City head Guardiola, who signed nan Portugal midfielder successful 2017.

They person won six Premier League titles together, while Silva has besides won nan Nations League title twice.

Silva sat down pinch Kelly Somers to talk astir what it is for illustration to play nether Guardiola, his standout matches, and his dream of winning nan World Cup.

Kelly Somers: Well, Bernardo, convey you for your clip today. Let's commencement pinch why football? How did you extremity up successful this sport?

Bernardo Silva: It was an easy prime because it was ever my passion. Since I remember, I ever had nan shot pinch maine astatine home, moreover erstwhile my mum was a spot upset astatine my dada because I would break a fewer paintings aliases jars aliases whatever. I ever had nan shot pinch maine and it was ever my passion.

Kelly: Did you person brothers and sisters arsenic well? Was it a family thing?

Bernardo: Two sisters. It was not a family thing. Obviously my dada is besides a large shot instrumentality and he likes to play arsenic well. And moreover my mum, she ever went to shot games, moreover though she's not from my club, she's from nan rivals. So my dad's broadside of nan family is from 1 team, my mum's nan different broadside of nan city.

Kelly: So is your dad's squad Benfica?

Bernardo: Yeah, my dad's squad Benfica, my mum's squad Sporting.

Kelly: That must person been arguable erstwhile you went to Benfica. What did she make of that?

Bernardo: No, she was happy. Actually, it was besides my grandfather's thought from my mum's side. He was a Sporting supporter. They were ever very supportive. I played 12 years astatine Benfica. Nine years astatine City now, but astatine Benfica from erstwhile I was 7 until I was 19.

I'm a Benfica fan, but Benfica is nan biggest nine successful Portugal. I would spell to Benfica games pinch my dad. Since I was a small boy, it was ever my dream to beryllium location to play for that nine so, yeah, I was really happy. And I was really fortunate to get that opportunity of learning from nan champion coaches successful Portugal, having nan champion accommodation from that early property astatine Benfica.

Kelly: Who would you opportunity has had nan biggest power connected your profession and nan subordinate you are today?

Bernardo: It's difficult to say. I would opportunity betwixt Benfica and Man City for nan time, because Monaco was 3 years - moreover though I was really happy there, it was only 3 years - Man City 9 now. But I deliberation it shaped maine from erstwhile I was 7 until 19. They gave maine not only nan shot knowledge arsenic a player, but besides they shaped maine a small spot arsenic a man. They made maine tougher and stronger.

At Monaco, moreover though it was shorter, they gave maine nan opportunity to commencement astatine nan higher level, and astatine Man City I achieved everything and much than I ever dreamed for. I ever dreamt of winning nan Premier League, but I ne'er imagined myself winning six. So, you know, Man City gave maine much than I hoped for arsenic a young kid, honestly.

Kelly: What astir a team-mate aliases coach that shaped you particularly?

Bernardo: Pep is evidently a very large power for maine successful position of managers. Players... erstwhile I arrived astatine Monaco, I was very fortunate to person Joao Moutinho location - a Portuguese subordinate that is, for me, 1 of nan astir intelligent players that's ever played for our country. So he besides was a mentor for maine and he was successful a measurement besides a head because I learned a batch from him.

He was a large influence, but astatine Man City besides I had a batch of really bully players that taught maine a batch - from Vincent Kompany to David Silva to Fernandinho. Different types of players and you study different types of things, but I decidedly had a batch of different influences successful football.

Kelly: Did you perceive what Pep said astir you precocious - that you're 1 of nan champion he's ever trained?

Bernardo: Yeah, I saw that and I'm happy that he feels that measurement because nan players that he manages are not bad players! I deliberation I'm nan subordinate pinch nan astir games played nether Pep, truthful evidently he has that typical affection for maine because it's been truthful agelong - but, arsenic I said, nan power from Pep connected maine is massive. Nine years and I learned a lot.

Kelly: Pep has an absorbing narration pinch his players. It ever looks, arsenic outsiders, erstwhile we spot him connected nan transportation astatine nan extremity you mightiness person won 4-0 and past he goes up and he's really intensely talking to you. Have you been connected nan extremity of immoderate of those?

Bernardo: Yeah, a batch of times. Sometimes I spot that group deliberation that he's complaining to us, but it's conscionable nan measurement he moves his arms a batch and being very passionate, but astatine nan extremity he's conscionable talking astir a mini item that he wants america to improve. Sometimes he's really disappointment arsenic well, obviously, but astir of nan clip he uses a batch of his arms truthful it looks much than it really is.

Kelly: If location was 1 crippled from your profession that you could relive, what would it be?

Bernardo: Easy reply - Champions League last [2023, erstwhile City hit Inter Milan 1-0]. But moreover bad days for us... for example, if we talk astir nan crippled against Tottenham successful nan quarter-finals of nan Champions League [2019] that we sewage knocked out, that was a awesome crippled to beryllium portion of. So I person a batch of awesome games, awesome memories that I could choose.

Kelly: What astir nan toughest moment?

Bernardo: Well, Champions League last against Chelsea [2021] was a reliable 1 erstwhile we mislaid 1-0, but I would opportunity moreover much than nan Champions League final, nan 1 against Real Madrid successful nan semi-final [2022] erstwhile they scored 2 goals successful nan past 2 aliases 3 minutes. That 1 was reliable to return because we were overmuch amended than them successful some games for 5 minutes. You propulsion everything away. It was a very frustrating experience. At nan extremity we sewage it, but nan Champions League was a reliable travel for us.

Kelly: You mentioned location nan connection frustrating. Is that really you sum up parts of nan past mates of years present astatine Manchester City?

Bernardo: Well, yeah, we're trying to bring that civilization backmost knowing that astatine this level it's not easy. I would emotion to show you that what we did successful my first 7 years is thing normal but it's not, because successful 7 years winning six Premier Leagues, winning a Treble, winning a home quadruple, doing 100 points, breaking nan grounds of goals... evidently I'm a spot biased, but I could reason that that procreation was nan champion ever successful English football.

So that is not normal, truthful you cannot expect that to past forever. Obviously, if you look astatine nan Champions League final, for example, from that team, 7 aliases 8 players already near - very important players. You're talking astir large names for illustration Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez, aliases Cole Palmer - he left, he wasn't playing overmuch but he near - and he was a very bully player.

And there's a caller procreation coming that needs clip to adapt. I've been done that process erstwhile and it went really good because erstwhile Vincent Kompany, Fernandinho, Sergio Aguero, David Silva left, nan alteration was made a spot slow because we were winning, truthful it's easier. When you're losing, it's much difficult to make that change, and you put much unit connected nan young guys. I still judge that this nine and these players person a batch of potential, a small spot of clip and patience.

I cognize it's reliable successful shot astatine this level, but I really deliberation that this nine tin move things astir and spell back. I don't cognize to nan standards that were, because that's not easy, it's nan reality, but hopefully... I will effort to thief them arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable for them successful nan early to beryllium successful a bully spot to conflict for that.

Kelly: How overmuch would it mean, then, fixed each you've conscionable said if you were to assistance silverware this season?

Bernardo: Well that's nan aim. It would mean a batch because astatine this nine it is not acceptable not to win. If you don't win, nan nine will make decisions again and it's normal. It's portion of nan business, and that's nan measurement it is - that's good. If you want to play for Man City, you request to win. If you don't win, you don't merit to beryllium here. So that unit that's connected us, it's a bully 1 and we return it.

Kelly: Do you deliberation you're successful a position to triumph silverware this play compared to wherever you were past season?

Bernardo: I deliberation we're successful a much, overmuch amended position. You cannot compare. If you said to maine past season, pinch nary injuries, past play was a very, very bully squad. But pinch each nan injuries that we had, and pinch each nan problems that we had, I would opportunity that correct now we're overmuch much prepared to conflict for titles.

Kelly: I want to return you backmost to a young Bernardo. What were you for illustration arsenic a child?

Bernardo: I was very energetic. I liked to judge that I was a very happy kid and pinch a batch of passion to effort and win successful life.

Kelly: What was your earliest non-football memory?

Bernardo: Fighting pinch my older sister... is that a bully one?!

Kelly: You person 2 sisters. Are they into football? Do they travel and watch aliases is it rather bully to talk to them astir it differently?

Bernardo: I still judge that nowadays they person nary hint what an offside is, but they support me! Wherever I am, they support maine - I cognize that.

Kelly: Who's your champion friend successful football?

Bernardo: Ruben Dias. Ruben is 3 years younger than me. So I retrieve him from nan Benfica academy, but he wasn't a friend backmost then. I've known Ruben really good connected a regular ground for 5 and a half years now.

Kelly: How do you flight from football?

Bernardo: Well, my girl and my woman thief a lot, truthful erstwhile I get location and I spot them, moreover erstwhile I lose, I hide astir things. And I emotion doing worldly pinch them. I emotion going connected trips pinch them aliases to watch a movie astatine home. Whatever it is, I emotion to walk clip pinch them. My girl is 2 and a half years aged almost. When I [have a day] disconnected football, she takes each my clip and energy.

Kelly: What's your perfect time off?

Bernardo: Depends connected wherever I am. If I was successful Portugal, I would spell to nan beach, I would spell to nan pool, I would chill. Here successful Manchester, erstwhile it's excessively cold, it's difficult. But connected a normal day, I would opportunity get my 2 dogs, spell locomotion them, spell pinch my wife, spell to for illustration a parkland aliases thing and bask a spot of caller aerial pinch them.

Kelly: What are your dogs' names?

Bernardo: John and Charles. John is named, you know, aft John Stones a agelong clip ago. I sewage Charles from Wales. At that time, Prince Charles from Wales. So I thought Charles. I wanted an English sanction arsenic well, because I had John already. So I chose Charles arsenic well.

Kelly: Tell maine 1 point astir yourself that would astonishment me.

Bernardo: I deliberation that I'm really bully astatine shot and I ever dedicated my life to that. I really person nary hint what I would do if I wasn't a shot player. I ne'er had nan chance to research hidden talents because I dedicated my life to football.

Kelly: My adjacent mobility was going to be: 'If I wasn't a footballer I would be…'

Bernardo: I don't know. It's a very difficult question. I would emotion to know, because erstwhile I decorativeness football, if I don't want to enactment successful nan game, I want to do something. I don't want to stop, truthful that's a very bully question. I'm still going to effort to find that retired erstwhile I decorativeness my career.

Kelly: I had a chat pinch your Portugal caput coach, Roberto Martinez, recently, and he really said: 'When Bernardo finishes playing, he will beryllium a manager.' Is he right?

Bernardo: I don't know. I deliberation I could. I deliberation I person a really bully knowing of nan game. I don't know, because I dedicated truthful agelong and truthful overmuch clip of my life to this. When I decorativeness my career, I want to walk clip pinch my kids aliases recreation pinch my woman aliases who knows... I emotion football. I deliberation I'm going to miss it. I'm not sure. But if I miss it and I travel back, astir apt it's going to beryllium to beryllium arsenic a manager.

Kelly: You've sewage a spot of clip to decide. You've sewage a fewer much years successful you, haven't you?

Bernardo: A fewer much years, yeah.

Kelly: What's nan champion spot of proposal you've ever been given?

Bernardo: I would opportunity that I cognize it's a spot of a cliche, but don't beryllium acrophobic of failing. You know, like, spell for it. If you fail, it's each right. Also to person fun. When you bask what you do, you do it better.

Kelly: If you could execute only 1 much point successful your career, what would it be?

Bernardo: That's an easy one. I request a World Cup. It would beryllium nan biggest accomplishment of my life because Portugal has ne'er done that. It's nan only trophy that Portugal, our country, has ne'er won, truthful I would emotion to do that.